Escaflowne: The Atlantian Pendant
by PlayitCold
Summary: It has been 5 yrs since Hitomi left Van and Gaea behind. The connection between them, however, is as strong as ever. When an unseen darkness threatens both their worlds and their lives, will the love they have for each other conquer all? Van/Hitomi.
1. Chapter 1: The Tower Once Again

Chapter 1: "The Tower" Once Again

The afternoon sun filtered in through the leaves of black pines, maples, and cherry trees creating hundreds of glittering spots on the sidewalks of Temple University. There was a noticeable buzz of energy in the air as students made their way to the last few finals of the spring semester. As the tower bell echoed across campus, marking the hour, the students anxiously took their seats in the designated classrooms. So unusually silent were the sidewalks outside, that a girl's hurried footsteps could easily be heard long before she was seen.

The smack of Hitomi's tennis shoes against the pavement reverberated off the old stone buildings and warned any lingering students to get out of the way or be trampled. Hitomi clutched a pencil in her sweaty palm and the breeze blew through her short light brown hair. Her light blue knee length dress made a flapping noise as she ran and her composure was that of a girl in sheer panic.

'_Geez, I can't believe how late I'm gonna be! After all those hours studying I had better not get locked out.' _She thought.

Meanwhile, in the classroom, a girl named Kaori sat staring at the empty seat next to her. She impatiently brushed back her shoulder length jet black hair and sighed in frustration.

"Where the hell is she?!" Kaori muttered under her breath.

Hitomi dodged a group of boys, almost tripping on her own feet.

"Excise me! Sorry! Watch it!" She yelled, then took a sharp left into an ally between two buildings.

Sprinting was second nature to the track star. It hadn't taken Hitomi very long to become the top female track and field sprinter on the varsity team, much to the pride it brought the Kanzaki family. By the end of the fall semester of her sophomore year Hitomi had broken almost every school record. Now it was the end of sophomore year and no matter how fast she ran it was not going to stop her from being late to her last final.

Hitomi gave a quick glance at her silver wristwatch. 2:28pm. Her Japanese history final was in two minutes. Her socks had long since slipped down into her shoes and the bra she was wearing was definitely not meant for high speeds. Never the less, her long legs picked up speed.

A boy's moccasin clad feet moved quickly through a grassy field, making the slightest rustling noise.

Hitomi shook her head slightly as if to clear her head.

_'Time to concentrate on the task at hand, Hitomi. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. I don't have time for this game.'_

Even so, she smiled slightly and mumbled to herself.

"I always win anyway."

The black haired young man panted roughly and threw his bow and arrows aside. He picked up the pace and all silence was lost in his sprinting. The deer he had had his eyes on saw him and darted away. It didn't matter. Van wasn't after the animal anymore. The promise of sweet victory was all he could taste now.

Hitomi left the ally and could see the Hall in front of her. Up the hill, cutting a corner past a blossoming cherry tree, and up the steps. Almost…..there. Hitomi's hands slammed into the oak doors and pushed them open.

"Ha!" She cried out loud, her shoes squeaking against the marble floor, "I win!"

Van leaned against a tree with his head down trying to catch his breath, his disheveled long black hair getting in his face. Only a few seconds behind Hitomi.

'_If I had just pushed myself a little harder I would have beaten her for sure!'_ Van thought.

But, he smiled in spite of himself. She had to race up a hill and some steps, both had slowed her down. He would never beat Hitomi in a foot race, whether she was physically with him or not.

With they're other worldly game behind them, Van stood up and returned to his hunting.

"Oh crap." Kaori mumbled as the professor took one last look at the clock on the wall and moved toward the open door.

Just as it was almost closed, Hitomi thrust her foot between the door and the wall. Professor Chang raised his eyebrow at the tardy student. Hitomi was breathing heavily from her run, but managed a clever smirk up at her teacher.

"Humpf." Dr. Chang said, and opened the door to let Hitomi in.

Hitomi's cheeks turned a bright pink and she took her seat next to her best friend, Kaori. Her frazzled state made the students in the front rows giggle.

"Where were you, Hitomi?" Kaori said through clenched teeth. "I was sure you were gonna miss the test and leave me to flunk it all alone."

"Sorry I'm late, Kaori. I was packing and I lost all track of time." Hitomi grinned, "I bet I've made a record! Fastest sprint across campus."

The professor cleared his throat loudly and the girls put their heads down and quickly got to their test. A soft, comfortably warm feeling was spreading in Hitomi's stomach and she had to sigh. It was always so nice to be with Van.

(After the test)

The oak doors swung open and a mob of students poured out. The campus was once again filled with the chatter of young adults talking about how hard each test had been and what their plans were for the summer. Hitomi and Kaori strolled behind the larger group.

"That was _the_ hardest test I've ever taken!" Moaned Kaori, holding on to Hitomi's arm for support as they walked.

"Yeah, it was pretty difficult."

Kaori gave her friend a look.

"Surrrrre." She said, rolling her eyes, "That was probably a synch for you, _miss history expert_."

She straitened up and flounced her hair, obviously trying to tease Hitomi.

"Look at meeee." She squealed, "I am the best runner at University and I have a 4.0 GPA. If only I could get my head out of the clouds and get a life I would have a boyfriend."

"HEYYYY! Its not MY fault you took this class just to flirt with Ewan Clark! And so what if I have my….mind on other things besides boys? I do-"

"Shhhhhh!" Kaori put her hands over Hitomi's mouth as a rather handsome boy walked by.

Kaori struggled to make a pretty face and stepped in front of Hitomi. Hitomi fumed at her back.

"Hi, Ewan! How are you?" Kaori burst out and waved to the blonde headed boy.

Ewan gave her a nervous smile and made his escape by pretending to hear a friend call his name. Kaori beamed after him, hearts in her eyes. She giggled and clutched her fists beneath her chin like a giddy schoolgirl, her test forgotten. Hitomi rolled her eyes.

'_Kaori may be the fifth top sprinter on the team and my friend, but she has sticks for brains.'_

"I am going to have his babies." Kaori whispered with a hint of lust.

Hitomi laughed and forgave her friend's words. She was always calling Hitomi an air head, but that didn't make it any less true. She knew it was one of her "flaws" along with her short temper. But, after seeing a completely different way of life, a completely different world, it was hard for her to get excited about life in the real world. Her dull, normal life on planet Earth.

Kaori glanced at Hitomi, who has now laughing harder. Kaori couldn't help but smile.

"Forget about the stupid test." she said more to herself than to Hitomi, "At least one of us did well."

The girls continued to walk through campus, enjoying the beautiful day and chatting about nothing in particular. Hitomi looked up into the sky and closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face as Kaori yakked on. The years had been good to her. Her light brown hair was slightly more than chin length now and she still had bangs that loved to get in her emerald eyes. Short hair helped against wind resistance. Hitomi was 5'5" and knew that she wouldn't grow any taller. Her flat chest had finally popped out a bit since high school and she was now a good C cup, though she concealed this evidence as much as possible. The 20 year old undeniably wasn't a stick figure anymore. It had been five years. Five long years since she had returned to Earth from a world called Gaea.

Suddenly, Hitomi had an eerie feeling that she was being watched. She opened her eyes and spun around, startling Kaori out of her gossip world.

"What's up Hitomi?" Kaori asked.

Hitomi stared intensely at the scene behind them searching for the cause of her unease. Just a few students walking back to their dorms and a group of boys playing Frisbee on the lawn. No one was watching her that she could see, but she couldn't shake the threat of danger hidden among the falling cherry blossoms and the smiling faces. The sun had lost all its warmth.

'_Why do I feel this way? Is my power of sight trying to warn me of something? What is out there?'_

"Earth to Hitomi?" Kaori said, "Did you forget something?"

Hitomi looked back at her friend and the strange feeling of dread vanished.

"Oh, no. It's nothing. I just had a weird feeling." Hitomi said, smiling away any evidence of her vision.

"Like, did you have another one of those premonitions? Did you see the future? WAS EWAN IN MY FUTURE?!" Kaori shrieked.

Hitomi hadn't told Kaori anything about her adventures in high school, nor had she told anyone besides her family, Yukari and Amano. But, when Kaori found out about how good Hitomi was at tarot card reading, she refused to take no for an answer. Hitomi reluctantly read Kaori's cards, her first reading since high school, and discovered that while she may be a bit spoiled and immature, a separation from someone she cares about would reveal maturity and hidden talents. Pulling The Tower, the card of distant separation, frightened Hitomi so much that she refused to do a reading again. She had no way of knowing who would do the staying and who would do the leaving.

Kaori still joked about how serious Hitomi believed her "guess work" to be.

"Yeah, I saw him in your future, Kaori." Hitomi smirked, "He was running away from your stinky perfume."

"Har har. Seriously though, you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Later, the girls parted ways and Hitomi returned to her dorm room to finish packing. She was always surprised at how empty and alien her room seemed with all her stuff in boxes moved out into the hallway.

'_It's like I never lived here at all.'_

Her father and brother soon showed up to help move her out. With all her things thrown into the back of their old pickup truck, Hitomi stopped to give one last glace at her building.

'_Another year down.'_

"Come ON, Hitomi!" her younger brother, Mamoru, shouted from the back seat.

"I'm coming!"

Hitomi bowed to the Hall, as if to say goodbye and thank you, and ran to the car. Little did she know how definite this goodbye would be.


	2. Chapter 2: The Moon

Here is the next chapter

Chapter 2: The Moon

It was a long drive from Tokyo to Shizuoka, much of which Hitomi spent sleeping; her head leaning against the passenger side window. The busy highways turned into country roads lined with rice fields, and then became the downtown streets of Hitomi's childhood. It was well past 11:00pm when the pickup truck pulled into her driveway.

"Finally!" groaned Mamoru as he leapt out of the truck's back seat.

"Hold it kiddo! Our job isn't over yet." Hitomi's father said, "We have to carry all this stuff into your sister's room."

Just then the outside house lights turned on and Hitomi's mother opened the sliding front doors and walked down the steps.

"Mom!" Hitomi rushed to give her mother a hug.

"Oh, Hitomi, sweety it is so good to see you!" She said in a soothing voice only a mother could have.

Hitomi's mother had long brown hair pulled into a braid and green eyes like her daughter's. She had a calm, wise demeanor which helped in her demanding job as a nurse. With one look, Mrs. Kanzaki could tell what was on your mind and she always knew the right thing to say to make a person feel better.

Mrs. Kanzaki turned to her husband.

"And how was the drive, Daichi?" She asked.

Mr. Kanzaki smiled and rubbed the back of his head. Hitomi's father was tall and well built with dark rimmed glasses. He had a wonderful sense of humor and never liked to yell. It had become his wife's role to do any disciplining in the house.

"Long with these two arguing half the time," He said pointing to his children, "but otherwise alright, Yuuka."

"Barf, Hitomi." Mamoru moaned, "You have the most crap out of anyone I know!"

"Quit complaining and pick up a box." Hitomi threatened.

As the family began to haul the boxes up the stairs and into the house, a black car with its headlights turned off slowly pulled to a stop a couple yards from the house. In the space between street lights where a spot of complete darkness lingered, the car's engine was turned off and the strangers inside waited.

(Later, in Hitomi's room)

Hitomi sat at her desk and looked out her open window. The only light she could see was coming from the street lights in front of her house. Giant trees in her neighbor's front yard blocked out the lights of the city below. A gentle breeze rippled the light pink curtains and thunder rumbled in the distance.

"The entire world seems to be asleep except for me." She whispered.

Yuuka knocked lightly on Hitomi's door and entered.

"I just wanted to say goodnight, Hitomi." She said.

"Oh, Goodnight mom." Hitomi replied.

Yuuka paused.

"Hitomi?"

"Yes, mom?"

"You know…I miss you so much when you go away."

"Mom?" Hitomi was a bit confused.

"I never stop thinking about you, Hitomi. But I don't worry. Because…I know that wherever you are…you are happy."

Yuuka smiled, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"And you are so strong and smart. I know that the life you come to choose will be your own."

"What are you talking about, mom?" Hitomi asked, "I just went away to college. You act like I left you forever and was never coming back."

Yuuka laughed.

"Yes, I know." She said, "I just can't believe that my baby is all grown up now."

Hitomi's mother turned to leave.

"Hey, mom." Hitomi stood up from her chair.

"Hmmm?"

There was a long pause.

"I would never leave…without telling you."

Yuuka smiled and closed the door behind her.

Hitomi sat down again and sighed. She tried to act ignorant, but she knew what her mother was talking about.

'_It has been five years.' _She thought,_ 'If I haven't gone back by now I don't think I ever will.'_

(Five years ago)

Hitomi struggled to keep her balance, her feet towards the ground, as she floated within a pillar of pale blue light. Slowly, her feet touched the ground and she straightened up. The light faded and the circular track behind her school came into focus. It was the middle of the day and there was a singular jogger who stopped and stared on in amazement. He was a short, balding man in green short shorts. With his eyes wide with shock he pointed at Hitomi and then up at the sky.

"Wha? Wha…wha?" He mumbled.

Hitomi dried her eyes, sniffed a few times, and started walking towards the street beyond the chain-linked fence. She had just said goodbye to a boy she promised never to forget. How could she ever forget? It had certainly taken her a while, but she had finally realized how much her friend really meant to her. Van was her first true love. He would also be her last.

She struggled to keep composer as she walked by the stammering man, both from her heartbreak and the humor she took out of the man's terrified face.

"Hi." She said.

"You…you…just came out of the…of the.."

"The sky?" Hitomi finished his sentence.

The man screamed and ran away from her yelling "HELP! HELP! A FLYING GIRL!"

Hitomi shifted the duffle bag on her shoulder and started walking again.

'_Who is going to believe this?'_ She thought, _'Will my family think I'm nuts when I tell them where I've been? Um, yeah mom and dad, I've been on a different planet having visions and helping a country at war. Oh, but the planet is invisible from Earth and I have no evidence to support my story. Yeah, this is going to be just great.'_

(Present day)

Hitomi's family did think she was a bit nuts when she showed up after being missing for three months. At first. Hitomi's mother was the first to warm up to her story and convinced Diachi and Mamoru that she must be telling the truth. The story seemed to coincide with what Yukari and Amano had told them after all. Plus the tales her mother, Hitomi's grandmother, had told did not seem as fictional as she had made them out to be. They were all just happy that she was back in one piece.

Yukari and Amano never looked at Hitomi the same way again. After their experience with the dragon and witnessing their dear friend get sucked up into space, they preferred not to talk about it. Most times they had pretended it had never happened at all. Eventually, Hitomi learned to refrain from bringing up the subject. It was either that or lose her friends forever. Yukari and Amano were currently attending a University in England together and had plans to come visit Hitomi in a couple weeks.

Hitomi couldn't wait.

(Meanwhile, on Gaea)

Van sat on the wooden railing of the balcony outside his bedroom. He leaned up against a vertical wooden beam supporting the roof above him. In his right hand he held a small necklace with a single pink pendant hanging from it. He usually wore it around his neck, but occasionally played around with it when no one was looking. It helped him relax when he was anxious or sooth him when he was lonely. Van was lonely a lot.

It's not like he was alone. Van was constantly surrounded by royal counselors, vassals, and warriors of all kinds. And of course, he had Merle. But, Merle was 18 now and becoming more self sufficient, relying less and less on Van's approval. No, Van was never alone, but he was lonely. Not many people understood what he had been through during the war. His people knew of his courage and his victory against Zaibach, but they hadn't been involved in the real fighting. They just waited for their boy king to return and to rebuild their glorious city. They didn't know what pain Van felt.

It was hard to forget. All those people he had killed. How he had almost started to enjoy the violence. If it hadn't been for Hitomi, Van would have died ten times over. Or he could have let his anger control him and fail everyone depending on him. She saved him from the darkness engulfing the land and the darkness within himself. He loved her so much. So much…that he let her go.

Van rubbed his thumb against the smooth crystal of the pendant as he looked across the red tiled roofs of Fanelia. He had grown much in the last five years, physically and mentally speaking. His shoulders had widened, his muscles grew and he had grown a bit taller, but hadn't broken six feet. Most of those under his command were taller than him. What Van lacked in height though, he made up for in skill. No one in Fanelia could match the king in swordsmanship and proficiency in a Guymelef. Not that there was any reason to use the skills in combat. Peace had reigned in the region since Hitomi had returned home. He had always been stubborn and somewhat narrow-minded about the way he saw things, but the years had mellowed him out a bit. Van had become more patient and clever with the way he dealt with obstacles now. Well, at least most of the time. One thing that _had_ remained the same was Van's unkempt and jet black hair.

Van thought about the day he had had. He raced with Hitomi and had killed a large 12-point buck on his hunt. He smiled. It had been a nice day.

"Hitomi," He said to himself, "I hope you had a nice day too."

Van put the pendant around his neck and slid off the railing onto the balcony floor. He looked into the clear night sky up at the two moons. The breeze blew through his hair and brought the sent of the forest with it.

Seized with a burst of energy, Van took off his shirt and willed his wings out from his back. He leapt from the balcony and flapped his gorgeous white wings. Finding a strong current in the wind, Van let his wings soar, closed his eyes and enjoyed the cool night air.

Van only opened his eyes when the light from the moons was suddenly blocked out.

'_There weren't any clouds in the sky a minute ago.' _

Van looked up to see a large dark figure approaching him from above. No, there was more than one. About five dragon shaped machines were coming straight at Van.

"They couldn't be…" Van gasped, "Ispano Guymelefs?!"

Van didn't have much time to think about it. Suddenly, one of the dragons shot some kind of weapon at Van. It was a long spear of metal with a sharp claw like instrument at the end. Van had only just dodged it when many more shots came whizzing towards him making a sickening whistling noise as they sliced through the air.

"SHIT!" Van yelped as he spun in the air to avoid getting skewered by the terrifying spears.

He dived down at an alarming rate then continued forward just above the tree tops. The Guymelefs did not hesitate to follow. Shot after shot echoed through the night air and Van twisted and turned as the spears whistled by his head.

"Why are they attacking me?" Van cried out.

A clearing in the forest revealed a river which Van flew over and continued to follow, the mechanical dragons soaring after him.

'_Whatever I do…I cannot lead them to Fanelia.' _

Up ahead Van saw some rocky cliffs which had been eroded by the river. This was the beginning of a winding canyon.

'_Hopefully I can loose them in the canyon.' _

The chase continued into the rocky rift and it soon became difficult for the heavy machines to maneuver. Van easily flew around each corner, coming as close to the sides of the cliffs as much as possible. Two Guymelefs in the front were not as swift as Van and collided into the face of a cliff. The crunching of metal and the tremendous radiance from the explosion told Van that his plan had worked; he did not even have to turn around. The other three Melefs simply flew through the fiery wreckage.

Van gave a quick glance behind him to see that he was still being pursued. He could not see any figures riding atop the machines like he did on Escaflowne. Whoever were driving the things were concealed inside them. The dragons also did not have long necks like Escaflowne. In fact, they looked more like bats than dragons.

'_These can't be Ispano Guymelefs then. They must be some kind of design I'm not familiar with.' _

Van dodged another volley of spears and abandoned his canyon idea. He climbed in altitude again and headed for a patch of clouds. The enemy grew closer.

'_If I can just disorient them in these clouds I can head back down towards the forest and hide.'_

Suddenly, Van felt a searing pain in his right side. One of the grappling hook weapons grazed through the flesh just below Van's ribcage. Van screamed and lost his coordination for a moment, but regained composer hastily. He kept heading for the clouds. They were his only hope.

"Come on! Come on! I can make it!" Van cried.

He had only just entered the clouds when a second spear went right through his left wing. The pain was so excruciating that Van began to lose consciousness.

'_Keep…it …together..' _

But Van was falling faster towards the forest below.

'_I…can't die…not like this..' _Van thought,_ 'I'm not…going…without seeing Hitomi…one last time..'_

With the last ounce of strength, Van flapped his injured wings a couple times and slowed down before crashing through the trees and landing with a thud on the forest floor. He could see the flying enemy pass by through the hole he had created in the roof of the forest. They hadn't seen where he had gone.

"I'm alive." Van whispered, and then everything went dark.

(Back on Earth)

Once her family had all gone to bed, Hitomi crept down the stairs to the dirt floored basement with a load of dirty laundry. Because her house was built on a hill, the basement led out to the backyard. Hitomi opened the old French doors to let in some air and got to work on her laundry. After she had put a load in the dryer, she started to throw the dirty clothes into the washer.

Hitomi glanced nervously behind her outside into the yard. The streetlights from the road cast an orange glow onto the lawn; there was no one there. Still, Hitomi couldn't shake the feeling…

Finally satisfied that no one was watching, Hitomi quickly slipped out of her light blue dress and tossed it in the washer with the rest of the dirty clothes. Uncomfortable standing there in only her undergarments, she threw on a pair of black shorts and a dark green t-shirt.

It is imaginable how startled Hitomi was when she felt something touch her left hand. She yelped and spun around. There was no one there.

"H-hello?" Hitomi said, clutching her hand and peering into the darkness.

There was no reply.

Then, something caught Hitomi's eye. There was something white on the ground at her feet. Curious, she knelt down and picked it up.

It was a feather. No, it was-

"Van's feather." Hitomi gasped.

Hitomi ran out into the backyard.

"Van?" She called out quietly, "Van, are you out there?"

No one.

'_He…he must be calling me!' _

Hitomi ran back into the house and up into her room. She frantically opened her desk drawers to find a black sheet of paper to write on. Turning on the desk lamp, Hitomi began to write to her family. Once it was finished, she reread it again and again. Satisfied, Hitomi threw on some sneakers and crept out of the house, leaving the note on the short dinning room table.

She wasn't exactly sure where she was going, but she knew that Van wouldn't be around here. He had never been to her house and probably had no idea where to find her. Hitomi set out to the only place she could think of where Van might be: the high school track.

As Hitomi closed the front gate behind her and started down the dark street, a black car started its engine and began to follow her.


	3. Chapter 3: The Page of Swords

Thank you all for the encouraging reviews

Thank you all for the encouraging reviews! This is my first fanfic and I want to make sure the story sounds as interesting on "paper" as it does in my head. Any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!

If there was any confusion in the first chapter about what was going on between Hitomi and Van during their race, Hitomi was having a vision of Van in Gaea. This is the connection they have between them. From now on a vision will be marked with "VVVVV" at the beginning and end of it.

By the way, the title of each chapter is the name of an actual tarot card.

Okay, enough talk. Here is the next chapter! Hope you like it!

Chapter 3: The Page of Swords

Hitomi folded her arms in close to her body as she hurried down the deserted street. The increasing humidity in the air made it difficult to breathe and she was unnerved by the stillness all around her. The chirping of the crickets soothed Hitomi's mind and the shock of Van's sudden contact began to wear off. A thunderstorm was gradually approaching in from the sea; the thunder rumbling closer every minute. She passed in and out of the orange streetlights, around which dozens of tiny moths danced. A dog barked off in the distance as the city below hummed a lullaby to its sleepy population.

Crossing a dimly lit street, Hitomi reached a long cement stairway, one she had climbed many times before on her way home from school. The maple trees to the right whispered to one another as the wind rustled their leaves. If Hitomi's mind hadn't been racing, she might have noticed how peaceful the night seemed. It was the calm before the storm.

It only occurred to Hitomi as she walked under a familiar underpass that she probably should have brought some of her belongings with her. If Van was planning to take her back to Gaea like she assumed, then she was completely unprepared. That wasn't like her.

'_Well, it doesn't matter. It's not like I can turn back now. Van is out there somewhere and I have to find him before someone else does. What would the government do if a boy with angel wings was found roaming around downtown Shizuoka?'_

Little goose bumps appeared on her naked arms and she shivered. Hitomi couldn't imagine such atrocities befalling her dearest friend. She nodded to herself in determination. Nothing like that would happen.

Hitomi rounded a corner and the school loomed into view. She began to run. Once she reached the front of her old high school Hitomi took the path to the left towards the stadium.

'_Van, I'm almost there!'_ she thought, a wide grin spreading across her pale face.

Hitomi dashed up the back stairs and was well out of breath by the time she got to the top of the bleachers. Before her lay the reddish track painted with white lanes. Beyond that were a chain-linked fence and the churning ocean. All she had to do now was climb down the bleachers and she would be in the same place she met Van so many years ago.

There was one problem though. Van was nowhere to be seen.

"Van?" Hitomi called out across the field.

All was still.

"He…he isn't here?" Hitomi gasped with sorrow, "I thought…I really thought he would be here."

Hitomi's heart sank and she leaned her exhausted body against a stone pillar. She had been so sure that she would find him here; where else could he be? Then, it hit her. There were other places he could have gone, maybe if he did not want to take the chance of being seen. There was one other spot Van was familiar with.

"The shrine." Hitomi whispered with wide eyes.

Hitomi practically jumped with excitement. She raced down the bleachers and onto the field wet with dew. The entrance to the shrine was passed a stone wall bordering the school grounds, across the street and up a long hill. It was the same direction a land dragon had chased she and her friends years before.

She was almost to the wall when her legs suddenly went stiff. Hitomi slowed to a complete stop. A horrible feeling in her gut had seized her, beckoning her to stop.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

A dark figure loomed in front of Hitomi's face. She couldn't quite make out what the person looked like, but there was a malevolent aura about it. Its lips curled into an ugly, evil grin which sent shivers down Hitomi's spine. Then, it brought a cigarette up to its mouth and took a long slow drag. As it exhaled, the smoke formed the shape of a terrible bat that opened its gapping mouth to swallow Hitomi whole.

"No!" She cried, "Stay away from me!"

The being's eyes glowed with anger and greed. It hated Hitomi and it hated everything.

"What do you want from me?!" Hitomi screamed.

It reached out its long fingers and almost had Hitomi in its grasp when a torrent of water engulfed it. Hitomi stepped back and the being melted away into nothingness.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Clutching her chest, Hitomi struggled for air as the shock of her vision wore off. Hitomi tentatively peered around a stone wall into the dark street for any sign of danger. Not far away was an idling sports car; inside she could see the faintest red glow of a cigarette. Hitomi wrenched her head back behind the stone wall.

"I _am_ being watched!" She breathed.

It made more sense now. If she had gone rushing out into the street the stranger would have seen her for sure.

Hitomi rested her head against the wall and looked up into the cloudy sky. Who was this person and why on Earth would they be following her?

"Man, what am I gonna do? If I go to the shrine, that person will see me! There isn't any other way to get there."

Suddenly, as if an answer to her prayers, the thunderstorm was upon them. It began to pour, creating a mist along the ground. This was Hitomi's chance. Perhaps, if the stranger hadn't yet turned on the windshield wipers, she could cross without being spotted. Without a moment's hesitation Hitomi burst out from her hiding place, dashed across the road and into the cover of the forest.

There was no looking back now. Hoping that the mysterious follower hadn't seen her, Hitomi bolted up the stairs two steps at a time. Lightening flashed and illuminated the red arches above her head. The downpour has soaked her from head to foot, her shirt sticking to every inch of her, but she didn't notice. As the rain started to slow down to a steady shower, Hitomi neared the top.

Without warning, a great crash of thunder and lightning shook the earth beneath her feet. A bright blue light cast shadows of the tree trunks along the ground as it came down from the sky. All around her was an eerie glow and it made her slightly dizzy. The beam of light touched the ground, carrying with it the form of a winged man.

Hitomi gasped in awe and clutched a small tree to keep herself steady. The young man drifted peacefully down and landed in the soft grass without a sound. He seemed to be asleep. Then, as Hitomi watched, it seemed that something about him was amiss. The beam of light vanished almost as soon as it came, leaving Hitomi quite frozen.

'_Van.'_

Hitomi took a few steps forward into the clearing before the ancient shrine.

"V-Van?" She stammered.

Van groaned and shifted.

Hitomi stumbled to his side and immediately saw the gouge in his right side and the hole in his left wing. Something very bad had happened to him. She leaned over his body but did not touch him for fear of accidently hurting him.

"Oh, no! Van!" Hitomi moaned in dread, "W-what happened to you?!

Van's eyes flickered and he slowly opened them. He blinked the rain out of his eyes and stared up at her for a moment before he realized what he was seeing. His eyes widened as he understood exactly who was looking down at him.

"Hitomi…" Van murmured slowly, "is that you?"

"Yes, Van. It's me." Hitomi whispered, a lump forming in her throat.

"You aren't a dream…or a vision?"

Hitomi smiled, a tear of joy rolling down her cheek.

"No, it's not a dream or a vision, Van. You are really here with me." Her voice cracked.

She gently clutched Van's hand, bringing it up to her lips for a small kiss.

When she let go his hand lingered. He gently touched her cheek with his rough fingers, as if to prove to himself that she was indeed solid. A bittersweet gaze shone in his deep brown eyes and he smiled. Hitomi blushed slightly.

"I've waited so long to see you, Hitomi." He said, "I missed you so much!"

"I…I missed you too, Van."

Van started to sit up.

"I only wish this moment and come under happier circumstances." Van took a sharp intake of breath and the pain of his injuries manifested in his face. He leaned back down into the grass.

"Van?" Hitomi was worried, "Van, what happened to you? Who did this?"

Van frowned.

"I'm not sure, Hitomi. I was about a half mile from Fanelia when I was attacked by flying Guymelefs."

Hitomi gasped.

"Not Zaibach!"

Van shook his head. "No, it wasn't Zaibach. It was some enemy I have never seen before. The Guymelefs…they were shaped like bats."

Hitomi's eyes widened.

'_Like the bat made of smoke in my vision?'_

(Down the hill in the stranger's car)

The tremendous beam of light from the top of the hill was hard to miss. The rain had died down slightly when it happened and the door of the black car opened. A tall woman of about 25 years stepped out of the car and gazed up at the blue light. She had a sharp, beautiful face with long, wavy orange hair. Her eyes were a cool blue and her lips were thin. The woman wore a black turtle-neck and tight dark pants.

The beam of light disappeared. Her eyes narrowed. In her left hand was a stump of a cigarette, which she brought to her thin lips and inhaled one last time. She flicked it to the ground, the embers sizzling in a puddle on the road, then she stepped on it with her red boot.

Out from a holster hanging off her hip, she pulled her sleek automatic pistol. With a crazed glint in her eye and the slightest hint of a smile, the woman pulled back the hammer and began to walk up the steps to the shrine.

(At the shrine)

With Hitomi's help, Van was able to sit up. He glanced around the clearing with a frown.

"Where exactly are we?" He asked.

"Oh. We are on Earth…the Mystic Moon. I…I thought you knew that." Hitomi said with eyebrows raised.

Van shook his head.

"One minute I was lying unconscious in the forest on Gaea…then I was here."

'_So, he must not have intended to come here.'_

Hitomi sighed. Now was not the time for explanations and catching up on old times anyway. The beam of light was sure to have attracted some unwanted attention and Van's wounds looked serious. He needed medical attention as soon as possible.

"Come on, Van. We need to get out of here quick."

"Why? What's the matter?" Van asked.

"Your wounds need to be seen by a doctor, and..." Hitomi hesitated, "there has been someone following me for a day or so now. They could be coming for us as we speak."

Van gave Hitomi a worried look.

"Can you get to your feet?" Hitomi asked.

Van nodded and Hitomi helped him up, his arm around her shoulders to maintain balance. He winced in pain.

Hitomi glanced towards the stairs.

'_This way is the only way up.' _She thought,_ 'The stranger would walk up this way to find me. I have to improvise.' _

"Come on." Said Hitomi as she led Van to the edge of the woods.

"Err. We are going to have to go this way."

Van gave an "are you kidding me?" look, but said nothing.

They pair began to trudge their way through the forest. Hitomi clung to every tree she passed so that she would not fall down. The way was muddy and the hill was getting steeper. On the way, Hitomi tried to think of what to do next.

'_My house is much too far away to walk to with Van's injuries open to infection like this.' _She thought,_ "I guess I'm going to have to risk letting Van's feathery secret get out to him and hope he keeps his mouth shut.' _

(At the shrine)

The mysterious woman looked down the hill into the forest. A ways away were the girl and the boy. She looked at her weapon as if to consider making a shot in their direction, but changed her mind.

'_He told me to watch for any useful information.' _She thought,_ 'They won't do any good to us dead.'_

She sighed and put her pistol back into the holster. There would be many more opportunities to use it. The woman touched a spot on her chest just below her collarbone where a small bulge could be seen through the fabric of the turtle-neck. She turned around and started walking back down the stairs she had come from.

(In front of a small white house)

Hitomi knocked frantically of the front door of a white house. It had to be around 3am, so the chance of finding the man awake was slim. Van leaned heavily against Hitomi with his wings folded into his back and she struggled to keep him upright. He had lost quite a bit of blood.

The lights turned on in the house and next the porch lights. The door creaked open and a very tired looking man poked his head out. He was the same short, balding, black haired man Hitomi had witnessed on the track the day she returned from Gaea. The man rubbed his eyes and looked at the two young adults.

His mouth dropped open.

"YOU!" He cried as he stared at Hitomi.

He tried to slam the door, but Hitomi was too quick. She thrust the door open wide with her shoulder and rushed in, Van clinging to her side.

"Demon girl! Get out of my house!" Whimpered the man.

Hitomi gave him a deadly look.

"Dr. Nohroku, please!" Hitomi growled, "Stop it with the demon girl shit…I'm not in the mood."

The doctor took a few steps back, his eyes wide with fear. Then his eyes fell upon Van, and his expression changed.

Hitomi followed his gaze to Van. He looked even worse in proper light. The situation was getting desperate.

"Doctor, please." Hitomi whispered, "My friend is hurt very badly and he needs your help."

The doctor hesitated.

Hitomi moaned.

"I know you don't like me because you stained your reputation with your rants about me floating down from the sky, but this is bigger than us! I promise that I will never show my face again if you just do what is right, what your life is all about, and help him."

After what seemed like forever, Dr. Nohroku solemnly nodded his head.

He led them into the back part of his house which happened to be his private practice. He and Hitomi helped Van on to an examination table where the doctor could take a better look at his wounds. He turned on a light attached to a movable device and shined it only Van's gash.

"Hmmmm." He muttered, "This is quite a deep gash, but not life threatening."

Hitomi sighed in relief, and a tight feeling in her chest developed. She could have cried from the relief she felt. She closed her eyes and shook her head to keep her composure.

Van groaned, his teeth clenched in pain.

"Well, it won't take too long to patch up this injury." Dr. Nohroku explained, "I'll give him something for the pain, then it would be best to rest for a week or two before moving around."

"Thank you so much, doctor." Hitomi smiled.

He just nodded his head.

Then another thought entered Hitomi's mind.

"Um, Dr. Nohroku?" She began with an apologetic expression, "There is something else that needs to be looked at."

There was a long pause.

"Oh?"

Hitomi turned and spoke to Van. Van closed his eyes, nodded, then allowed his wings to split out of his back. The hole dripped with blood and a few feathers floated to the ground.

The doctor went completely white and stared in shock.

Hitomi watched him, getting ready to chase him if he started to run. The doctor did not run, he just stood there.

After a minute or so of a complete awkward silence, the man mumbled.

"Well…that's something I've never seen come out of a person before."


End file.
